Cheryl Shops

Website of the week
Whether you've been reading Cheryl Shops for years, months, or weeks, you probably know that I love a good shoe site. And I do. I'm also quite familiar with most of them, so I was surprised--pleasantly so--when I came across Solestruck. Created for women who love stylish footwear but not high prices, Solestruck blends a chic-boutique feel with, as they put it, online convenience and warehouse selection. Which translates to a lot of cute, trendy shoes at affordable prices. Brands include Chinese Laundry, Dollhouse, Jeffrey Campbell, Rocket Dog, and Seychelles--the selection reminds me a lot of Jasmine Sola and Thom Brown, two Boston-based fashion chains that don't take themselves too seriously. You can shop by brand, or by style (choose from everything from "bohemian" to "special occasion"), color, or trend, which is then subdivided by hue, design, details, and "time away" (a.k.a. occasion). And before I get into my favorites, I'd like to note how grateful I am for the fact that you don't have to click through a million pages--even if there are 500 pumps or 200 styles by BCBGirls, they're all on one page. Also, when you look at the product pages, notice how that, through the magic of Flash, you can roll over the thumbnails to get views of the shoes from all angles. Genius! My picks for fall include this BCBGirls T-strap pump, a fun round-toe style in a wear-with-everything metallic color; I saw this ruched Dollhouse flat in Boston, and I'm glad I now have a second chance to buy it; for those of you still stuck on pointy-toe boots, this Mia boot has a cute kitten heel and a cool ruching detail along the instep; this Rebels embellished pump is a great alternative for those of you who love the embellished trend but aren't too hot for flats; this Rocket Dog boot looks like a Frye and is a third of the price; and I think this metallic flat is surprisingly cute for Steve Madden. Also, deserving of special mention is the brand Seychelles, which gets better every season with their designer knockoffs. To wit: The Shameless is a, well, shameless Marc Jacobs knockoff; I also like the Illicit, the Girlie Man, and the Bonnie & Clyde, which has already been featured in several websites and magazines. So, we've got cute shoes at great prices, which is great in and of itself, but as icing on the cake, all orders ship for free, you have 365 days to make a return, and there's no sales tax. Now I think you can officially call me Solestruck.